Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship


The Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking senior clubs in the county of Kilkenny in Ireland. It is the most prestigious competition in Kilkenny hurling.
Introduced in 1887 as the Kilkenny Hurling Championship, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to senior-ranking club teams. The championship has gone through a number of changes throughout the years, including the use of a round robin, before reverting to a straight knockout format.
In its current format, the Kilkenny Senior Championship begins in September with a first round series of games comprising eight teams, while the four remaining teams receive byes to the quarter-final stage. A team's finishing position in the Kilkenny Senior Hurling League determines at what stage they enter the championship. Four rounds of games are played, culminating with the final match at Nowlan Park in October. The winner of the Kilkenny Senior Championship, as well as being presented with the Tom Walsh Cup, qualifies for the subsequent Leinster Club Championship.
The competition has been won by 26 teams, 18 of which have won it more than once. Tullaroan is the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 20 times. Ballyhale Shamrocks are the reigning champions, having beaten James Stephens by 2-21 to 1-15 in the 2019 final.

History

Beginnings

Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. County committees were established over the next few years, with the Kilkenny County Board affiliating on 30 January 1887. The inaugural championship was contested by just four clubs, with Tullaroan winning the title after a defeat of Mooncoin. Since then the championship title has been awarded every year except on a handful of occasions. No championships took place in 1891, 1892 and 1912, while several championships between 1916 and 1922 were either cancelled or unfinished due to the Irish revolutionary period. The 1916 championship began in October 1916, however, because of martial law it wasn't completed until June 1919. It was decreed that the winner of the match would be declared champions for all three years.

Team dominance

The first fifty years of the championship were dominated by Tullaroan and Mooncoin who built up an intense rivalry. Both clubs shared 28 championship titles between 1887 and 1936, however, since then they have won just four titles between them. Other clubs who enjoyed limited periods of dominance during this time include city-based club Confederation, who won three titles between 1893 and 1896, and Dicksboro who won two titles from four final appearances during the 1920s. Carrickshock's dominance saw the club play in ten finals between 1938 and 1948, becoming the first team to win four successive championships from 1940 to 1943. Éire Óg also claimed four titles during this period. After a sixty-year hiatus Bennettsbridge returned to winning ways and claimed ten championship titles between 1952 and 1967. Fenians added their name to roll of honour in 1970 before claiming four more championships before the end of the decade. In 1978 Ballyhale Shamrocks became the latest first-time champions and ushered in a new era of dominance by winning 10 more championship titles by 1991. As Ballyhale went into decline, Glenmore dominated the nineties by winning five championships between 1987 and 1999. The first decade of the new century saw O'Loughlin Gaels and James Stephens win two titles apiece, while Ballyhale Shamrocks ended the decade with four successive championships before winning four more in 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2019.

The championship

Overview

The Kilkenny County Championship is a single elimination tournament. Each team is afforded just one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. Pairings for matches are drawn at random, however, there is a certain level of seeding based on league performance. The league begins with two groups of six teams. The top two teams in each group receive a bye into the quarter-finals, while third placed team plays the fourth placed team, and the fifth placed team plays the sixth placed team in the first round. The losers of the latter games enter a relegation play-off.
Each match is played as a single leg. If a match is drawn there is a replay. If both sides are still level at the end of the replay there is a period of extra time and so on until a winner is found.

Format

First round: 8 teams contest this round. The 4 winning teams advance directly to the quarter-final stage. The 4 losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Quarter-finals: Eight teams contest this round. The four winning teams advance directly to the semi-final stage. The four losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Semi-finals: Four teams contest this round. The two winning teams advance directly to the final. The two losing teams are eliminated from the championship.
Final: The final is contested by the two semi-final winners.

Participating teams

The following 12 teams will be participating in the 2020 championship:
TeamLocationColours
Ballyhale ShamrocksBallyhaleWhite and green
BennettsbridgeBennettsbridgeGreen and yellow
ClaraClaraMaroon and white
DanesfortDanesfortBlack and amber
DicksboroPalmerstownMaroon and white
Erin's OwnCastlecomerBlue and white
James StephensLarchfieldGreen and red
MullinavatMullinavatBlack and white
O'Loughlin GaelsSt. John's ParishGreen and white
Rower-InistiogeInistiogeGreen and red
Graigue-BallycallanKilmanaghBlue and white
TullaroanTullaroanGreen and White

Sponsorship

Since 1991 the Kilkenny County Championship has been sponsored by the St. Canice's Credit Union.

Managers

in the Kilkenny Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.
ManagerTeamWinsWinning years
Michael NolanO'Loughlin Gaels32001, 2003, 2010
Maurice AylwardBallyhale Shamrocks32006, 2007, 2008
Adrian FinanJames Stephens22004, 2005
Mick PurcellClara22013, 2015
Henry ShefflinBallyhale Shamrocks22018, 2019
Tom CaseyGlenmore11999
Jim NearyGraigue-Ballycallan12000
John BrennanYoung Irelands12002
Mick Fennelly / James McGarryBallyhale Shamrocks12009
Niall RigneyJames Stephens12011
Tommy ShefflinBallyhale Shamrocks12012
Colm Bonnar / Andy MoloneyBallyhale Shamrocks12014
Aidan FogartyO'Loughlin Gaels12016
Mark DowlingDicksboro12017

List of finals

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upScoreCaptain
1973Fenians7-08James Stephens5-10
1974Fenians0-10Bennettsbridge0-06Martin Fitzpatrick
1975James Stephens1-14Galmoy1-05Phil Larkin
1976James Stephens2-14Rower-Inistioge0-13Phil Larkin
1977Fenians3-11Rower-Inistioge1-10Mick Garrett
1978Ballyhale Shamrocks0-15Fenians0-10Denis Shefflin
1979Ballyhale Shamrocks3-12Erin's Own1-06Johnny Walsh
1980Ballyhale Shamrocks3-13Muckalee/Ballyfoyle Rovers1-10Richie Reid
1981James Stephens2-10Fenians0-08Brian Cody
1982Ballyhale Shamrocks3-10James Stephens2-04Liam Fennelly
1983Ballyhale Shamrocks2-14James Stephens1-08Kevin Fennelly
1984St. Martin's1-14Ballyhale Shamrocks1-07Johnny Brennan
1985Ballyhale Shamrocks4-18Glenmore3-13Frank Holohan
1986Clara3-10Ballyhale Shamrocks4-05Tom O'Shea
1987Glenmore4-10Ballyhale Shamrocks3-09Christy Heffernan
1988Ballyhale Shamrocks2-15Thomastown0-04Seán Fennelly
1989Ballyhale Shamrocks2-11Glenmore1-13Wattie Phelan
1990Glenmore3-15Clara2-06Ray Heffernan
1991Ballyhale Shamrocks3-16St. Martin's1-08Dermot Fennelly
1992Glenmore1-14Tullaroan2-06Ray Heffernan
1993Dicksboro2-09Fenians1-09John Marnell
1994Tullaroan1-06Dicksboro0-06Derek Gaffney
1995Glenmore3-19Fenians1-14Willie O'Connor
1996Young Irelands3-09James Stephens2-10D. J. Carey
1997Dunnamaggin2-10Young Irelands2-07Paul Cahill
1998Graigue-Ballycallan1-14Fenians0-12Damien Cleere
1999Glenmore1-14Graigue-Ballycallan2-08Denis Mullally
2000Graigue-Ballycallan0-16O'Loughlin Gaels0-09James Young
2001O'Loughlin Gaels1-17Graigue-Ballycallan1-06Andy Comerford
2002Young Irelands3-14Dunnamaggin1-15Martin Carey
2003O'Loughlin Gaels2-12Young Irelands2-10Andy Comerford
2004James Stephens2-16Young Irelands3-12Peter Barry
2005James Stephens1-18Ballyhale Shamrocks2-12Peter Barry
2006Ballyhale Shamrocks1-22O'Loughlin Gaels2-11Tom Coogan
2007Ballyhale Shamrocks1-20St. Martin's1-10Patrick Reid
2008Ballyhale Shamrocks2-11James Stephens0-12Bob Aylward
2009Ballyhale Shamrocks1-14James Stephens1-11Éamonn Walsh
2010O'Loughlin Gaels0-17Carrickshock1-11Martin Comerford
2011James Stephens1-20Ballyhale Shamrocks0-15Jackie Tyrrell
2012Ballyhale Shamrocks0-16Dicksboro0-12David Hoyne
2013Clara1-15Carrickshock2-10Austin Murphy
2014Ballyhale Shamrocks1-20Clara1-13T. J. Reid
2015Clara2-12O'Loughlin Gaels1-13Keith Hogan
2016O'Loughlin Gaels0-19Ballyhale Shamrocks1-12Brian Hogan
2017Dicksboro4-15James Stephens4-10Ollie Walsh
2018Ballyhale Shamrocks2-20Bennettsbridge2-17Michael Fennelly
2019Ballyhale Shamrocks2-21James Stephens1-15Michael Fennelly

YearWinnerOpponent
2019Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-21James Stephens 1-15
2018Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-20Bennettsbridge 2-17
2017Dicksboro 4-15James Stephens 4-10
2016O'Loughlin Gaels 0-19Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-12
2015Clara 2-12O'Loughlin Gaels 1-13
2014Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-20Clara 1-13
2013Clara 1-15Carrickshock 2-10
2012Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-16Dicksboro 0-12
2011James Stephens 1-08, 1-20 Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-11, 0-15
2010O'Loughlin Gaels 0-17Carrickshock 1-11
2009Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-14James Stephens 1-11
2008Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-11James Stephens 0-12
2007Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-20St. Martin's 1-10
2006Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-21O'Loughlin Gaels 2-11
2005James Stephens 1-18Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-12
2004James Stephens 2-16Young Ireland's 3-12
2003O'Loughlin Gaels 3-09, 2-12 Young Ireland's 2-12, 2-10
2002Young Ireland's 3-14Dunnamaggin 1-15
2001O'Loughlin Gaels 1-17Graigue-Ballycallan 1-6
2000Graigue-Ballycallan 0-16O'Loughlin Gaels 0-09
1999Glenmore 1-14Graigue-Ballycallan 2-8
1998Graigue-Ballycallan 1-14The Fenians 0-12
1997Dunnamaggin 2-10Young Ireland's 2-07
1996Young Ireland's 2-10, 3-09 James Stephens 0-16, 2-10
1995Glenmore 3-19The Fenians 1-14
1994Tullaroan 1-06Dicksboro 0-06
1993Dicksboro 0-12, 2-09 The Fenians 0-12, 1-09
1992Glenmore 1-14Tullaroan 2-06
1991Ballyhale Shamrocks 3-16St Martin's 1-08
1990Glenmore 3-15Clara 2-06
1989Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-11Glenmore 1-13
1988Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-15Thomastown 0-04
1987Glenmore 4-10Ballyhale Shamrocks 3-09
1986Clara 3-10Ballyhale Shamrocks 4-05
1985Ballyhale Shamrocks 4-18Glenmore 3-13
1984St Martin's 1-14Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-07
1983Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-14James Stephens 1-08
1982Ballyhale Shamrocks 3-10James Stephens 2-04
1981James Stephens 2-10The Fenians 0-08
1980Ballyhale Shamrocks 3-10, 3-13 Muckalee/Ballyfoyle Rovers 2-13, 1-10
1979*Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-14, 3-12 Erin's Own 0-14, 1-06
1978Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-15The Fenians 0-10
1977The Fenians 3-11Rower-Inistiogue 1-10
1976James Stephens 2-14Rower-Inistiogue 0-13
1975James Stephens 1-14Galmoy 1-05
1974The Fenians 0-10Bennettsbridge 0-06
1973The Fenians 7-08James Stephens 5-10
1972The Fenians 3-10Bennettsbridge 1-06
1971Bennettsbridge 3-10The Fenians 1-07
1970The Fenians 2-11James Stephens 3-05
1969James Stephens 8-05The Fenians 2-07
1968Rower-Inistiogue 3-09Bennettsbridge 3-07
1967Bennettsbridge 3-10Thomastown 1-04
1966Bennettsbridge 4-08Mooncoin 2-04
1965Mooncoin 2-08Bennettsbridge 1-08
1964Bennettsbridge 4-09Glenmore 1-04
1963St. Lachtains 1-07Tullogher 0-03
1962Bennettsbridge 5-07Lisdowney 2-08
1961St. Lachtains 4-05Near South 0-12
1960Bennettsbridge 4-05Glenmore 3-04
1959Bennettsbridge 4-06Erin's Own 1-04
1958Tullaroan 1-12Bennettsbridge 3-02
1957John Lockes 4-04Slieverue 0-05
1956Bennettsbridge 2-08John Lockes 3-03
1955Bennettsbridge 6-06Mooncoin 1-04
1954Slieverue 6-05Tullaroan 4-03
1953Bennettsbridge 3-11Sliabh Rua 3-06
1952Bennettsbridge 5-03Tullaroan 4-05
1951Carrickshock 5-06Tullaroan 4-05
1950Dicksboro 3-17, 4-06 Éire Óg 6-08, 1-05
1949Graigue 3-12Tullaroan 2-14
1948Tullaroan 1-12Carrickshock 2-03
1947Éire Óg 3-10Tullaroan 0-13
1946Thomastown 5-04Carrickshock 4-05
1945Éire Óg 2-07, 4-08 Carrickshock 1-10, 1-07
1944Éire Óg 7-09Carrickshock 4-04
1943Carrickshock 3-06Mullinavat 1-03
1942Carrickshock 3-02Threecastles 2-03
1941Carrickshock 4-05Éire Óg 3-07
1940Carrickshock 1-04Mullinavat 1-02
1939Éire Óg 3-07Carrickshock 3-05
1938Carrickshock 2-05Éire Óg 1-05
1937James Stephens 3-08Dicksboro 1-02
1936Mooncoin 4-02Tullaroan 4-01
1935James Stephens 3-05Carrickshock 2-05
1934Tullaroan 6-06Carrickshock 1-05
1933Tullaroan 6-05Carrickshock 5-04
1932Mooncoin 6-04Carrickshock 5-05
1931Carrickshock 5-08Urlingford 3-08
1930Tullaroan 4-04Urlingford 0-03
1929Mooncoin 3-02, 5-01 Carrickshock 3-02, 3-03
1928Mooncoin 4-02Dicksboro 3-02
1927*Mooncoin 4-02, 4-03, 2-04, 2-04James Stephens 3-02, 2-04, 1-03, 2-02
1926Dicksboro 5-05Mooncoin 1-04
1925Tullaroan 3-04Dicksboro 3-03
1924Tullaroan 4-04Clonmanto 2-02
1923Dicksboro 7-04Mooncoin 3-01
1920–1922Not played
1919*Unfinished
1918*Mooncoin
1917*Mooncoin
1916Mooncoin 4-01, 5-02 Tullaroan 4-01, 2-03
1915Tullaroan 7-02Dicksboro 2-02
1914Johnstown 3-01Erin's Own 0-00
1913Mooncoin 5-07Tullaroan 3-04
1912Not played
1911Tullaroan 4-03Mooncoin 2-05
1910Tullaroan 7-01Piltown 3-00
1909Erin's Own 1-12Mooncoin 1-07
1908Mooncoin 5-17Threecastles 3-05
1907Tullaroan 2-06Mooncoin 1-03
1906*Mooncoin 3-06Tullaroan 1-12
1905Erin's Own 5-06Tullaroan 2-08
1904Tullaroan 6-14Piltown 1-06
1903Threecastles 0-03, 2-10 Kilmanagh 0-02, 0-05
1902Tullaroan 3-16Mooncoin 0-01
1901Tullaroan 5-10Threecastles 3-07
1900Mooncoin 5-09Freshford 1-15
1899Tullaroan 3-06Young Irelands, Tullaroan 1-05
1898Threecastles 4-01Confederation 2-03
1897Tullaroan 3-11Mooncoin 2-01
1896Confederation w/oCallan scr.
1895Tullaroan 1-04Threecastles 1-02
1894Confederation 2-05Callan 1-01
1893Confederation 1-04Callan 0-00
1891–1892Not played
1890Bennettsbridge 1-04Callan 0-01
1889Tullaroan 0-01Graine 0-00
1888Mooncoin 2-02Confederation 0-00
1887*Tullaroan 1-01Mooncoin 0-04

Notes:
Pos.TeamNo. of winsWinning YearsRunners-upYears runners-up
1stTullaroan201887, 1889, 1895, 1897, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1907, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1948, 1958, 1994111905, 1906, 1913, 1916, 1936, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1992,
2ndBallyhale Shamrocks171978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019.61984, 1986, 1987, 2005, 2011, 2016
3rdMooncoin121888, 1900, 1906, 1908, 1913, 1916, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1936, 1965101887, 1897, 1902, 1907, 1909, 1911, 1923, 1926, 1955, 1966
3rdBennettsbridge121890, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 197161958, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974, 2018
4thJames Stephens91935, 1937, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1981, 2004, 2005, 2011101927, 1970, 1973, 1982, 1983, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2019
5thCarrickshock71931, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1951121929, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1948, 2010, 2013
6thFenians51970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 197771969, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1993, 1995, 1998
6thGlenmore51987, 1990, 1992, 1995, 199941960, 1964, 1985, 1989
6thDicksboro51923, 1926, 1950, 1993, 201761915, 1925, 1928, 1937, 1994, 2012
7thEire Og41939, 1944, 1945, 194731938, 1941, 1950
7thO'Loughlin Gaels42001, 2003, 2010, 201632000, 2006, 2015
8thConfederation 31893, 1894, 189621888, 1898
8thClara31986, 2013, 201521990, 2014
9thThreecastles21898, 190331895, 1901, 1908
9thErin's Own 21905, 190911914
9thSt. Lachtain's21961, 19630
9thGraigue-Ballycallan21998, 200021999, 2001
9thYoung Ireland's21996, 200231997, 2003, 2004
10thJohnstown119140
10thThomastown1194621967, 1988
10thGraigue119490
10thSlieverue1195411957
10thJohn Lockes 1195741890, 1893, 1894, 1956
10thRower-Inistioge1196821976, 1977
10thSt. Martin's1198421991, 2007
10thDunnamaggin1199712002
11thPiltown021904, 1910
11thErins Own 021959, 1979
11thUrlingford021930, 1931
11thKilmanagh011903
11thGraine011889
11thFreshford011900
11thClonmanto011924
11thMullinavat011943
11thSlieve Rua011953
11thNear South011961
11thLisdowney011962
11thTullogher011963
11thGalmoy011975
11thMuckalee/Ballyfoyle Rangers011980

Records

Teams

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship titles, is as follows:
Top ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:
Top ten longest gaps between appearances in a final :
Pos.ClubWonLostTotalPeriodWin %
1Tullaroan2011311887-199464.5%
2Ballyhale Shamrocks176231978-201973.9%
3Mooncoin1210221888-196654.5%
4James Stephens910191927-201947.4%
4Carrickshock712191929-201336.8%
5Benettsbridge126181890-201866.6%

Biggest wins

Final

Pos.YearClubGoalsPointsTotal
11904Tullaroan61432
21944Eire Og7930
21985Ballyhale Shamrocks41830
31969James Stephens8529
31973The Fenians7829
41995Glenmore31928
52017Dicksboro41527
52019Ballyhale Shamrocks22127
61950Dicksboro31726
61950Eire Og6826
71973James Stephens51025
71901Tullaroan51025
71923Dicksboro7425
71991Ballyhale Shamrocks31625

NOTES:

FINALS from 1995 to 2019

Pos.NameClubGoalsPointsTotal
1TJ ReidBallyhale Shamrocks35867
1DJ CareyYoung Ireland's113467
2Eoin LarkinJames Stephens14548
3Henry ShefflinBallyhale Shamrocks04141
4Nigel SkehanO'Loughlin Gaels42638
5Eoin ReidBallyhale Shamrocks41931
6Mark BerginO'Loughlin Gaels02828
7Keith HoganClara01818
8Adrian RonanGraigue-Ballycallan3817
9Colin FennellyBallyhale Shamrocks01616
10Mark AylwardBallyhale Shamrocks2915

By year

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
2016Richie HoganDanesfort0-4040
2017David WaltonJames Stephens1-5154
2018T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks3-4150
2019T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks1-3437

Finals

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1992Ray HeffernanGlenmore1-1013
1993Tommy Bawle Dicksboro0-066
1993Sam Morrissey Dicksboro1-025
1994Derek GaffneyTullaroan0-044
1995Ray HeffernanGlenmore0-077
1996D. J. Carey Young Irelands1-058
1996D. J. Carey Young Irelands2-0410
1997D. J. CareyYoung Irelands1-025
1998Damien CleereGraigue-Ballycallan0-088
1998Brendan RyanFenians0-088
1999Michael MurphyGlenmore1-014
2000Nigel SkehanO'Loughlin Gaels0-055
2001Nigel SkehanO'Loughlin Gaels1-0912
2002D. J. CareyYoung Irelands2-0713
2003Nigel Skehan O'Loughlin Gaels2-039
2003Nigel Skehan O'Loughlin Gaels1-0710
2003D. J. Carey Young Irelands1-0710
2004D. J. CareyYoung Irelands3-0615
2005Eoin LarkinJames Stephens0-099
2006Henry ShefflinBallyhale Shamrocks0-1010
2007T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks0-1010
2008Eoin ReidBallyhale Shamrocks1-025
2009T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks1-036
2009Eoin ReidBallyhale Shamrocks0-066
2010Richie PowerCarrickshock0-1212
2011Henry Shefflin Ballyhale Shamrocks0-077
2011Eoin Larkin James Stephens1-1114
2012Martin GaffneyDicksboro0-088
2013Keith HoganClara0-1010
2014T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks0-1010
2015Mark BerginO'Loughlin Gaels0-088
2016Mark BerginO'Loughlin Gaels0-1111
2017David WaltonJames Stephens1-058
2018T. J. ReidBallyhale Shamrocks1-1013
2019Eoin GuilfoyleJames Stephens0-088